I really like coffee, however i have never owned a coffee machine before. After reading some reviews on this forum, i finally decided to purchase a Gaggia Classic. I currently got 2 alternatives in Norway: a 9 years old Gaggia Classic ( rarely used according to the seller) and a brand new Gaggia Classic. The used one costs 1500 norwegian krones (around 250 usd), while the new one costs 3000 krones ( 500 usd). I wonder if the quality of coffee deteriorates as the machine becomes old ( 9 years sounds to me like a really old machine :) but the sellers says he has produced max. around 10 cups of coffee on this machine )Despite the fact that i am new to coffee making, i really want to enjoy good quality espresso shots!So please help me to decide which one i should choose!

"Rarely used" leaves much room for interpretation and speculation. How many cups per day/week are we talking about? How has the machine been maintained? Has it been descaled regularily, for example? Some parts of an espresso machine are prone to a certain wear like gaskets, but also the pump.

A 9-year-old Gaggia Classic can still work fine for years to come, but it might also break down in a short while. You can never tell.

As long as you can afford it, I'd opt for the new machine. But bear in mind that you'll need to buy a decent grinder as well in order to be able "to enjoy good quality espresso shots".

***"This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee, when he was urged to ban the beverage)

"Rarely used" leaves much room for interpretation and speculation. How many cups per day/week are we talking about? How has the machine been maintained? Has it been descaled regularily, for example? Some parts of an espresso machine are prone to a certain wear like gaskets, but also the pump.

A 9-year-old Gaggia Classic can still work fine for years to come, but it might also break down in a short while. You can never tell.

As long as you can afford it, I'd opt for the new machine. But bear in mind that you'll need to buy a decent grinder as well in order to be able "to enjoy good quality espresso shots".

The sellers says 9-10 cups of coffee in the whole period ( i.e. 1 cup of coffee per year). Should i still purchase a new machine ( yes, i can afford the new one) ?I am aware that i need a good grinder. Gaggia MDF and Rancilio Rocky grinder cost about the same in Norway. Do you ,perhaps, know which grinder is a better choice for espresso ?

10 cups altogether would seem like new, but it's kind of hard to believe. Why was is used so infrequently? What happened to the machine in between? Was the boiler emptied? Do you know the seller personally? Can you test the machine beforehand?

As far as the grinder is concerned, the Gaggia MDF and the Rancilio Rocky are both stepped grinders with the steps being pretty wide. This can leave you stuck in between two settings for proper extraction, i.e. the right fineness of grounds would be somewhere between two steps. This situation can be highly frustrating. The only way to work around that problem is to adjust the dose, but a change of 0.2 g can already change taste, so it's not really a desirable thing to do.

Since the grinder is more important for espresso quality than the machine, it's always wise to invest in a high quality grinder. You should spend 30% to 50% of your overall budget on the grinder, about $250 that is. Try to get a stepless or at least virtually stepless grinder.

***"This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee, when he was urged to ban the beverage)

10 cups altogether would seem like new, but it's kind of hard to believe. Why was is used so infrequently? What happened to the machine in between? Was the boiler emptied? Do you know the seller personally? Can you test the machine beforehand?

As far as the grinder is concerned, the Gaggia MDF and the Rancilio Rocky are both stepped grinders with the steps being pretty wide. This can leave you stuck in between two settings for proper extraction, i.e. the right fineness of grounds would be somewhere between two steps. This situation can be highly frustrating. The only way to work around that problem is to adjust the dose, but a change of 0.2 g can already change taste, so it's not really a desirable thing to do.

Since the grinder is more important for espresso quality than the machine, it's always wise to invest in a high quality grinder. You should spend 30% to 50% of your overall budget on the grinder, about $250 that is. Try to get a stepless or at least virtually stepless grinder.

I don´t know the seller personally, and yes, i agree it is hard to believe that the total usage is limited to 10 cups...I will contact the seller and try to find out regarding the status of the machine.

Concerning the grinder, i understand the problem with stepped alternatives. If i am correct, Mazzer Mini is a stepless grinder. Is it a good choice?

The Zassenhaus Santiago might work for brewing espresso. However, there have been reports about poor quality control with Zassenhaus grinders lately. As far as hand grinders are concerned, the OE Pharos or Hario Skerton are alternatives.

***"This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee, when he was urged to ban the beverage)

The Zassenhaus Santiago might work for brewing espresso. However, there have been reports about poor quality control with Zassenhaus grinders lately. As far as hand grinders are concerned, the OE Pharos or Hario Skerton are alternatives.

After spending some hours on this forum, i feel myself more and more coffeegeek 8-) I´ve found a used "Mazzer Super Jolly" grinder in Norway for 550usd. From what i´ve read super jolly is a better alternative than a mazzer mini. Is it correct?

The Super Jolly is a commercial grinder, so it's another step up on the ladder. However, you might need to change the burrs, depending on the age and the use of the grinder, because they might be worn.

***"This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee, when he was urged to ban the beverage)

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